Abstract:
This study on the workshop management techniques needed to improve the teaching and learning of basic technology in Ebonyi state adopted a survey research design. The population for this study was 748, which included all the 219 basic technology teachers, 95 laboratory attendants, 217 principals and 217 vice principals (in-charge of junior section) in the 217 government owned secondary schools in Ebonyi state. Yaro Yamane formula was applied to select a sample of 261 respondents. A structured questionnaire consisting of 80 items was developed and used for data collection. The instrument for data collection was face validated by three Experts in the field of Technology and Vocational Education. Return rate of the instrument for data collection was 100%. The Pearson- Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was used to determine the internal consistency of the instrument. The data collected were analyzed using Mean statistic in order to answer the five research questions posed for this study, while Analysis of Variance was used to test the five null hypotheses at a 0.05 degree of significance. Based on the data analyzed, it was found from the study that: twenty four workshop planning techniques are needed; fourteen workshop organizing techniques are needed; eight workshop coordinating techniques are needed; seventeen workshop controlling techniques are needed; fourteen workshop storage techniques are needed. There was no significant difference in the mean responses of the school administrators, basic technology teachers and the basic technology workshop staff on the importance of workshop management techniques in the teaching and learning of basic technology in Ebonyi state. The following recommendations were made: Administrators of secondary schools and the government, at all levels, should organize workshops and seminars for teachers and other staff of basic technology on effective workshop planning, organizing, coordinating, controlling and storage techniques to improve the teaching and learning of basic technology in secondary schools in Ebonyi State. Relevant technology bodies and/or employers of labour as it affects basic technology should be encouraged by government to also organize seminars for teachers and other staff on best ways to manage workshops in order to achieve objectives of basic technology. When modern equipment, machines and tools for teaching basic technology at secondary schools are brought to a school, proper training of those to apply them to use has to be carried out before such equipment is put to use. Institutions of higher learning which run technology and technology related programmes should include workshop management techniques as a core course of study. Only qualified teachers and other basic technology staff who have skills in proper workshop management techniques should be recruited to teach basic technology in secondary schools across Nigeria
